Every experience you’ve and I will ever have shapes our thoughts and feelings.

Every action and inaction shapes our character. They play a significant part in the invisible writing of the outcome of our story.

As in every great story, there are unexpected twists and turns… stories of great adventure, of tremendous courage, and heart-wrenching failure. There are also stunning victories, moments of heroism, and unbelievable successes.

It is the important events in life that have lead us to where we are today.

Getting down to specifics, lets look at the line of our lives for a moment.

The Uniqueness of Each Line

We were born on a particular date and time; unique in all of recorded human history.

Because there has never been another quite like us, I imagine that we all are assigned and attached to a UPN; a unique prime number. This is merely my convention for connecting our uniqueness to the moment. But I see it as one that tracks each of us on our line of life.

In keeping with the fact that you and I are truly unique and beautiful people, I envision the lines of our lives, not on a linear scale,
but more as the sewing of fine thread.

Internally, we already have unique thread colors; our DNA. But we also internalize every event, every experience, every moment from birth to death, which imprints etches along our unique life lines.

Imagine all the happiest moments of life as being the brightest and most eye-pleasing colors.

Mark the less pleasant as monochromatic moments surrounded by darker tones.

Our personal life experience is woven through our goals, interests, and pursuits.

We color life according to our abilities, gifts and special talents. Also with our flaws, foibles and failings.

Influences and Movements Of A Line

This line we call Life is fluid and dynamic. It moves suddenly at times, at others so subtly.

A sudden change of plans, a reversal of fortune, an increase or decrease in health.

How we see the lines of our lives, our particular perspective, shapes its flow and direction.

Mostly it moves by influence. The greater the influence, the more we move in the direction toward it.

We may be influenced by someone we have never met. You may listen to a program on the radio and what you hear changes your life. One person can influence thousands. (See spectrographic emanations in the image.)

The decisions we make, and not make, steer the course of our line to our destiny.

We are also heavily influenced by writing, as each line carries an invisible weight of importance.

One of my favorite lines is that by the late John O’Donohue who said,

“May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder.”

The Event Box Threaded Line By Line

The intersection of the lines of our lives may just be in passing, even if ever so briefly. Or they may be of a more permanent nature, such as marriage and family.

But, lets say, for example, that you and I are meeting for the very first time. That meeting can easily be called an event box.

We encounter one another at a pinpoint accurate geographic location, at a specific date and time in all of recorded history.

We each bring our own cultural tastes, our unique viewpoints, our attendant cares and concerns. We bring our history.

But we know that life is much deeper than the surface. That’s also why we need to read between the lines.

We read each other in an instant. We call upon our intuition and sum each other up in fractions of a second.

Remember, that even though we are, hypothetically, just sitting down and have never met up until now, there is plenty
we already know about each other. We know that we each bring to this moment our personal life history, unique personalities,
and our own uniquely colored line.

It’s interesting isn’t it? We meet someone for the very first time, and it’s like we’ve known one another our whole life. 🙂

It’s relatively simple to see in the singular, but introduce many people to the picture and it becomes more complex, and more beautiful.

This is where it gets complicated. In school, we were taught about three dimensions… length, width and height.

But try picturing the lives of 100 people enjoying a theatre, a couple hundred on a flight, or hundreds more in a crowded subway.

In the event box, I have shown Winter Wheat, where bus loads of people frequent, and I used as a hideaway for my writing.

Moving or stationary, each meets on a specific date, location, and time… all with their own unique line that contributes to the beauty of the moment. Whether we personally interact with one another or not, we share the event box.

Now imagine every human encounter as having a prime number representing each unique event box. It’s mind boggling!

And it happens every day, at all times, in every part of the world.

The Artistry Of Every Line Of Life

Perceptual psychologist Rudolf Arnheim observed, “The line that describes the beautiful is elliptical. It has simplicity and constant change. It cannot be described by a compass, and it changes direction at every one of its points.”

I see life is a living, breathing, ever-changing mosaic. It has a multi-colored, many textured, layers deep threading.

I dare to see each of us a strand of divinity.

British sculptor Andy Goldsworthy says that, “the essence of drawing is the line exploring space.”

I think the lines of our lives, how they interconnect and intertwine, moving through time and space, is living artistry.

Looking at the line from the fourth dimension, Lao Tzu said, “Life and death are one thread, the same line viewed from different sides.”

In the big scheme of things, the wonder and beauty of it is that we all have a unique place in this tapestry called Life.

Invariably, as the lines of our lives cross paths and intersect, we experience people who influence us in person, who persuade us
or attempt to sway us in a certain direction; both good and bad. We know that people take a turn for the worse… or for the better.

Of course, there is a fine line between love and hate, between pride and jealousy, between genius and insanity.

Lucille Ball once said, “Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.”

Every life experience leaves an invisible trail, similar to that of how ants communicate with each other.

Thus, the lines of our live, move, and take shape according to the roles we play.

Ultimately, what awaits us is what connects us.

You Have A Voice… Let’s Hear It!

How do you see your line of life connecting to others?

What images or ideas do you take away from this?

Anything you care to add to the picture?

I really appreciate all the learning I receive from others. Please contribute your thoughts here.

Related

William A. Butler is a John C.Maxwell certified coach. He loves to add value to others and aspiring to be a great humanitarian, lives by four words: BE LOVE TO OTHERS.
William often goes by "Bill" and is a poet, a songwriter and has an upcoming novel.

56 thoughts on “What the Lines Of Our Lives Teach Us”

Your thesis is as complicated as life and the diagram – a maze through which I had to jump out, having fractured my ribs!
So I am trying to read and re-read your philosophy of life and people… the weaving, the breathing and interacting are quite entangled, it might take me a few days to put all the pieces of this puzzle together. I must say you have done a wonderful job of creating a unique study of life. As usual, an unparalleled consolidation of words.Balroop Singh recently posted…How Much Do You Expect From Life And People?

Hi Balroop,
Yes, one some levels it is relatively easy to see, but complicated form the larger perspective of seeing humanity as a whole.
It may take you a few days. It’s been taking me years of reflection to get this far, and I know it goes much deeper, especially when you consider the dynamics involved. But that’s what life is, isn’t it? It continually evolves, we grow and stretch right along with it. I appreciate your kind words.
More than that, I appreciate you.

Love this activity at the beginning. Reminds me of so many personal development courses where we’ve had to put our – life across a line for various reasons. You are so right that, at least in my take away, no one event stands alone. So many are intertwined. It’s complicated yet it’s easy isn’t it? Thanks!Patricia Weber recently posted…4 Specifics to Celebrate for Introvert Freedom

Hi Patricia,
I am imbued with this notion. It really captivates my imagination, to envision all the moving parts and interactions, right down to the finest details.
I’m not anywhere close in fully describing it as of yet, but I will press on. I believe we are all part of the greater whole; the roots of which are the basis for our humanity. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. Thank you kindly.

Hi Bill. So very true that life can be seen as a line in many ways. We talk about a story line, a time line, a blood line and the ‘rich tapestry of life’ wherein many threads are interwoven and the overall result would be slightly different with any addition or any subtraction. Oddly, we often find ourselves imagining that certain lines should be straight when in nature that is the very rare exception.Paul Graham recently posted…Monday Matters:Up And Down

I completely agree with you and as far as I’m concerned, I like to, in fact I would love to have many lines straight. Unfortunately, thanks Don go the way we want many times and that is why this diagram makes so much sense.

It is such a complicated theory and as many others are saying to their comments it is very confusing. Well, nobody understood life and it is truly a unique experience for every individual.

However, it is fascinating to see how somebody else looks at life and compared with our own view of it.

Thank you Bill for sharing this wonderful post and making us think about life today.

Hi Kumar,
I agree. Nothing in life as quite as simple as having things go our way, or to have it all wrapped up in a nice, neat little package with a bow on it.
This is somewhat like string theory. There’s much more to it than meets the eye. And life is always that way, isn’t it?

At the least, I think we can all appreciate the dynamics of life, how the constantly moving pieces frame our perceptions and provide a framework for understanding life.

Hi Paul,
Yes, mostly we see life in terms of collective experience. Nothing is ever as simple as everything running in meridians, especially when life throws us the occasional curve ball…. but I find many parallels. Another is that people cross boundaries, they go over the line, get out of line, or are expected to toe the line. Human behaviour also moves in certain circles. Thanks for adding about one’s bloodline; a valuable add to my thoughts on this.

I guess you could see life as a series of lines, a complicated tapestry yet I do believe that we have some control over which way that line turns or twists. Free will… the intelligence to choose direction yet sometimes being surprised if the line doesn’t behave as we’d hoped or supposed. Over all I think it’s complicated…and then it’s not. The re is beauty in both the simplicity and the complexity, yes?Jacqueline Gum (Jacquie) recently posted…Freedom… Where’s The Justice?

Hi Jacquie,
Yes, it is both simple and complicated. I never was big on exclusive either/or thinking, although it nicely explains some things.
Yes, free will plays a huge role in how we shape the course of our lives. I think the weight of decisions we make also plays a role.
There are always unintended consequences, which also have a place somewhere down the line. I appreciate your thoughts. You’ve given me more to think about.

I really enjoyed your paragraphs. So many influences on our lives, making us what we are and always changing. I often think about how my life would be different had I made any of the millions of other choices I could have. Or even if the people who I meet made a different choice. It’s mind boggling!Beth Niebuhr recently posted…How to Improve Your Writing

Hi Beth,
Yes, it is the influences, the undue and the unseen that invisibly shape who we become and our destiny. Like you, I puzzle over that what-if scenario myself… but then again IF is the middle word in LIFE. It truly is mind boggling. The more the onion skin is removed, so to speak, the more complex the layers. We may never get to the bottom of it, but I think we better understand life by trying.

Bill, after reading everyone’s comments there isn’t much for me to add, except maybe this. Wouldn’t it be boring if life was a complete straight line and we reached the end just by placing one foot in front of the other? It’s all the intersecting and crossing lines that add interest.
LenieLenie recently posted…Library Book Sales – $$$ for Programs, Deals for Us.

Definitely agree with you on that Lenie. We are not assembly line robots, I’m very glad of that. The ways the lines of our lives cross, intersect and intertwine is very deeply fascinating to me. I think it would be neat if Google had software to map the concept. Thanks for contributing!

I agree with Lenie in that life would be so boring if our trajectory was a perfectly straight line missing crossroads, hairpins, steep grades, and straight-aways. My life has taken on many twists and turns and feel more fortunate for that fact. It also makes me realize how absolutely connected we all are. We seek out connectivity and why would we do that if it wasn’t important to us; we wouldn’t.Tim recently posted…Happiness Sold Here

Hi Tim,
I too, am very grateful for the way my life has gone up until now. The interesting thing is, we can make plans, take a different route or a different line of thinking, and and the end result is still the same. I see the connectivity too, which is the overtone in this post. I also believe we can be more deeply connected, as a society at large. It truly is important. We are all born for connection. Thanks Tim. I appreciate learning your thoughts on this.

Hi Bill; this post was a little harder for me to wrap my mind around than the one about the puzzle. but the first thing that came to mind were kepous. I’m probably spelling that wrong, but a device where by different colored pieces of string are woven together to represent time place distance weather people etc. I do like how you included influences from far away such as online friends radio and tv shows books etc. We are all interdependent and those who think they aren’t are the ones fooling themselves. take care, maxmaxwell ivey recently posted…Remembering when I decided on my new path

Hi Max,
Think of the diagram as depicting our interconnectivity and our interdependence on one another in terms of a fluid. The way the fluid moves, up down or sideways, does so on many levels. There are so many small pieces, that any attempt to consider them all simply eludes description. I think that is why life itself is a mystery.

I am not familiar with the word you’ve referred to. However, I get the gist of it. It’s somewhat like string theory. There is a hidden energy that connects us all, far and wide, and those near and dear to us. Yes… about influence… to some degree, we are all transmitters and receivers. We continuously send signals, even subconscious ones that are picked up by others to interpret. Of course, the lines of life are subject to edit. Anyone can change their mind. All the best to you!

I agree with your closing words “what awaits us is what connects us’
That’s very true, and I believe that. I think, we are creating the line of our lives of what we focus on and dreamed. Our purpose is also very necessary. I’ve heard the quote “what you focus on will grow.” That’s a beautiful quote though. 🙂

Hi Nanda,
I think that is the mystery and the excitement of life… the hidden connections that await us, a new discovery just around the corner that changes our life forever, an unknown truth that unveils the eyes of our understanding. Yes, I agree with you. The focus of our energy and attention creates the very line of our life; the events along the path are etched and color coded into our life experience, like DNA. Have a very nice week as well. Thank you kindly!

I like the idea of life lines having colors. I was at a supplement/vitamin store and had extra time while I was waiting for my tires to be changed at the mechanic across the street. They had someone there to read auras, which I’d never done before. It was interesting to see the colors and what they meant for me in that moment of time.

Hi Christina,
We are all energy, and I think we either resonate (or not) with others because we vibrate at various frequencies. Dr. Bruce H. Lipton covers this very elegantly in “The Biology of Perception” in a YouTube video and in his book “The Biology of Belief,” which is one of the best books I have read.
I have seen pictures of brain activity color coded. I think tuning into other’s energy may be what people describe as reading an aura. We can certainly sense other peoples vibes. Thanks for giving me more to think about 🙂 Have a nice week!

Hi Bill,
Random (rambling) thoughts seem to be all I have to share tonight. Hope you don’t mind.

I find the metaphor of lines quite interesting. Paul points out a few instances of the metaphor. I do notice that you’ve written mostly in singular lines rather than paragraphs. If by design, I like your choice, given your topic. Lines and linear thinking/ “left brain.” Hmmm…connection?

When I think of lines, I think of demarcation, distinction, separation, that which has often been associated with “masculine” energy. What would its counterpart be, as associated with “feminine” energy? What’s “non-linear”? What comes to mind is a beating heart, “lines”/vessels of blood flowing into its centre. (Likely not strictly speaking.) A beating, full-of-life heart seems so NON-linear to me, as does the sea.

As I said, random thoughts. I’d need to think for quite a while to come up with something more coherent in a rational, linear kind of way!

Hi Ramona,
You’ve added more to think about, so thank you! Maybe there is a level to these connections, that is a symmetry that holds true if objects or relations are interchanged, such as the ebb and flow of the sea you mentioned. Perhaps feminine energy would be an attractor that unifies and pulls together. I see it in the swooping and swirling of hummingbirds as they come close and pull apart, all in a seemingly random pattern. Thanks for adding to the conversation.

Bill – such a thoughtful post. There are so many threads to our life that build the tapestry of who we are. Life surely is a mystery. There is no sense in trying to untangle the threads. Some of these threads stand out in bold relief at different points of our lives: happiness at the birth of a child, sadness at the death of a beloved partner. These individual events color our lives but don’t define us. The sum total of the threads define us. Some would say it’s God’s will and maybe it is.Jeannette Paladino recently posted…Define Your Company’s Brand by Engaging Employees

Hi Jeannette,
Thank you! I love patterns and trying to figure them out. When we look at lineage, for example, I marvel at how our ancestors came together and the enrichment of the tapestry of life because of it. Yes, those events you refer to I see as color markers woven into the fabric of our being and that shape who we are. I believe God is the artist, the music conductor, and the biography writer all in one. Thank you for contribution.

Bill, this article is a keeper! I read it quickly, but have saved it to read again in a quiet moment. O’Donohue is one of my favorite authors. I wonder what the line of his life must have looked like. All the years he lived until the incredible beauty of his words just flowed and flowed, sending filaments to millions of people – then The End. What does the line of “poignant” look like, do you know?Sue Hines recently posted…3 Steps to Your Strategic Advantage

Welcome Sue,
So glad you enjoy this. John O’Donohue is by far and away my all-time favorite author. It’s our loss that he left us too soon, as he wrote the most amazing lines. His descriptions of interior landscapes are very vivid. I’m currently re-reading Eternal Echoes. I think the line of his life continues in the lives of those his words touch and inspire, even though his spirit has flown. The line of poignant… that’s a great thought. I envision it looks like what the tears of an angel must taste like. Thanks so much for stirring more creativity!

The lines of our life are forever changing due to outside influences and our change in our own vision. Depends how we see the tapestry of lives. A tapestry has two sides and when you turn it to the right side you are able see the art: the rich colors, the texture, and the patterns that can make a tapestry a thing of astonishing beauty. We are also weaving into the fabric of our lives. There are thousands of threads that make up a life no two are alike.

Hi Arleen,
You make a great point. Our ever-changing vision continually changes the flow of our lives and our perceptions certainly color the lines.
I admire how you’ve described the unique beauty of the tapestry. Really wonderful and rich words. Thanks so much!

Thank you Susan. For me, there is always something to think about with this concept. Just as you’ve written about time, the fourth dimension adds complexity to the lines of our lives; the lack of it, what transpires within certain time frames, etc.

Overwhelming, yet simple at the same time – life that is. We are all born. We will all die (at least physically). What happens in between, in my opinion is anything but a straight line. If we didn’t have the ups and downs, the unexpected and the routine, it would be a total bore. Although I think everything happens for a reason, I also think we have some control over those events – as Jacqui said, the free will to choose. Life certainly is contradictory sometimes, isn’t it? I am glad my “line” has been very jagged, too smooth and I’d be bored!Laurie Hurley recently posted…If Content is King, Consistency is Queen

Hi Laurie,
Oh, I agree with you, anything but a straight line. To depict it in the graphic is to acknowledge that the lines exist. I see every line and element as continuously moving… ebbing and flowing, rising and falling… all on different levels and in multi-colored strands. Speaking of jagged, I wrote a poem entitled, “Jagged Shards of Divinity.” I see us very much as that. Thanks so much for more food for thought. Much appreciated.

We’ll always get more out of life by having our lines or paths cross that of others. We learn most about ourselves that way, though it can be tempting at times to avoid those lines.Jeri recently posted…#WriteTip: Sensory Details Brainstorming Sheet

Hi Jeri,
Very well stated. I love learning and I know you’re right on this. The more we interact with others, the more we learn.
I think everyone has something of value to offer. As an old song went, “It takes every kind of people, to make what life’s about, yeah!”

Hey Bill as I read this I actually started with one line but ended with a mesh. Something of a paining or work of art. The way maybe a career could be a line taking one direction while health is another line taking a nose dive and family is taking a tangent elsewhere. I saw many lines that maybe follow their own routes linked to the MAIN bold line called life with ups and downs and reversals creating a unique work of art that is unique and incomparable. Great post!Welli recently posted…Kaizen your life

Hey Welli,
Thanks for sharing what you’ve envisioned this to look like. It gives me more ideas. I envision looking down on busy freeway traffic, seeing the hustle and bustle, just knowing that every soul is going somewhere, and as they do, they weave their history into the fabric of time. Thanks for your thoughts.

The ways our lines connect with others is what makes the picture beautiful. Sometimes we aren’t aware of all the ways our lines connect. We don’t always now the impact we have on others – good or bad.Donna Janke recently posted…Travel Then and Now

Hi Donna,
I agree with you, and I think that we need beauty, truth and goodness to be able to interpret that picture. Yes, you’re right. You might impact someone, who in turn changes the life or lives of others. You may never know, but I like those rare instances when you find out you did. Thank you!

Hi Mina,
Thank you for sharing the link. I love poetry and philosophy, so it is a double pleasure for me. Thanks very much!
I love the imagery… the meeting of sorrows… the home we have in the heart of another… that certainly inspires me even more.

I especially liked this line: “Upon our birth, we are tethered to Life as we know it. At the end, we are untethered.” I can really visualize that.

As a very visual person, I don’t see things at all in a linear fashion, so I am having trouble with your diagram. My crazy artist’s mind doesn’t see things in straight lines, but rather intersecting cloud formations (or something to that effect.) But thanks for getting me thinking about this and the lines of our lives.Doreen Pendgracs recently posted…what’s in a name?

Hi Doreen,
Thank you for the kind words. Yes, with the tethering, the attendant cares and concerns… and the release of them in being untethered.
I see the lines as dynamic. It is difficult to convey in a diagram. Perhaps a video with colored fluids moving would have been a better conveyance of the main idea. I can envision clouds rolling into one another. Try drawing that and it may miss the layering effect and look like one big cloud.
You`re welcome. I thank you for sharing your thoughts.

While it’s true that we travel in certain lines, I’d say my life seems to be more circular. As I arrive at certain junctures, there seems to be a circle back to something else, an event or a person or a place. Certainly something to think about …Krystyna Lagowski recently posted…Swanning around with a 2014 Mazda3 Sport GT

Hi Krystyna,
I see it as you do as well. I think of behavior, for example. Someone goes `straight`for awhile or they try to straighten out their lives.
Lessons we forget and re-learn or later remember drive us full circle. Maybe not in a sporty Mazda, but you get the idea 😉
Thanks for contributing.

You really have me thinking here…I like that. I see life as a connected energy field. Those we encounter every day are part of it, even if we don’t consciously recognize it.

To me I see a straight line with little blips in it. A high point with positive energy going up, and a negative energy from whatever source going down… But we are here with the power of controlling our destiny which makes things a bit complicated.

Although I see just about everything intertwined and connected via energy, our “life line” is going straight forward ad we can discard negative blips downward and choose to keep the positive.

The thing is the line never ends because it is the line of our spirit, our soul that goes beyond our stay here into infinity. And I’m certain there is growth there too. So, that being said, I think we need to connect to our soul energy when it comes to this.

Hi Donna,
Glad to fire up the neurons. 🙂 No doubt, we are all energy. Practitioners of ancient Chinese medicine have long understood energy flowing along meridian lines. Like magnet filings, charismatic people draw others to them. Many call this the Law of Attraction. Magnets go the other ways as well. We are equally repulsed by things that sicken us, for example. I see the flow moving towards love or away in fear. If you get a change, I encourage you to see Dr. Bruce H. Lipton`s video on The Biology of Perception on YouTube. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnmaiWWZ3fc) After seeing it, you`ll come away with a clear understanding of why you believe as you do. It is amazing!

I, too, believe that what I have called being untethered is not the end of the line. It continues on a different plane of existence, similar to sounds that exist (and continue to travel) that we cannot hear.

I love that first quote from John O’Donohue! Such an interesting and very thoughtful approach to life that I can completely appreciate and understand. Your first question is one worth exploring as well – how do I see my line of life connecting to others? That begs for a deeper discussion on perspective – which, I think, is completely shaped by our very own life line wouldn’t you agree? I can’t wait to see what you write about next!Pamela Heady recently posted…Stuffed Eggplant with Turkey, Mushrooms and Arugula

Hi Pamela,
My apologies for the late reply. The lines of my life have been extending deeper and further the past few days, but it certainly makes life worthwhile.
I do agree with you. Our relationships with others does shape our perspective, and invariably, the lines intertwine.
If you have not read any of John O’Donohue’s material, I think you will be pleasantly surprised to enjoy more.

As I imagine my life and all of the significant points of intersection it becomes starfield with a tangle of threads leading to and from the various points of interest (people places and events). How many people have we encountered in our lives whose influence, big or small, has effected our path? It really gives you pause and makes you wonder what you might or might not have done but for that moment of contact. Cheers to getting us all thinking about those lines.Debra Yearwood recently posted…Slow and Expensive

Hi Debra,
What an interesting perspective. I have never imagined a threaded starfield, but that is certainly more to imagine in seeing the lines of our lives connect. Yes, and how many have we never met that indirectly have influenced someone for the better that now influences us? Their contribution carries on in the way of legacy. I agree with you. That moment of contact is something I give a great deal of thought to. What if your grandparents had never met, or your parents?

Great post and crafty words. “Nothing happens in God’s world by mistake.” I have free will but I also try and live my life by God’s will. I do the footwork and he takes care of the rest. I love to talk to people and meet new people all the time. I think God gives everybody their unique gifts and then he wants you to work with them for good. We do have lines in our life. We are always standing in lines . lol Like the grocery store, check out line ect… I like your analogy. Thanks.crystal Ross (@CrystalRoss55) recently posted…Forgiveness

Hi Crystal,
I love what you’ve said… I do the footwork and he takes care of the rest. I agree with you on meeting and sharing. I understand that God works through people, which is what we are all given unique talents. Yes, and as you stand in line, remember to smile for the camera.
Thank you for contributing. My apologies for the late reply. Some days, I really wonder where the time goes.